I Ain't Goin' Down
by ToujoursGlace
Summary: A story of how Andromeada Black Tonks' life changed when Ted and Nymphadora Tonks came around. Set to Shania Twain's "I Ain't Goin' Down". OneShot- My first.


_I'm gonna hold on--_

_'Cause what I believe in is so strong_

_No matter how long, no one_

_Can tell me I'm wrong_

_I Ain't goin' down_

Andromeada clutched the small infant tightly through the blankets, her husband Ted looking over her shoulder. The little baby smiled up at her parents, so free and at peace from the problems of the world; and so naive to how hard it was to get her there. Andromeada wasn't naive and innocent any longer though, she could remember.

_I had a baby at fifteen--_

_Daddy never did forgive me_

_I never heard from the guy again_

Andromeada's family, the infamous Blacks, would never stand for the marriage, or the child. Orion, the seventeen year-old's father had made that quite clear...

Orion Black was furious, that is to say, angrier than anyone had seen him before. Tables and chairs upturned, broken glass figurines, and a sixteen year-old girl sitting amidst it all on the floor.

"You filthy little traitor" Orion bellowed at his oldest daughter, "How dare you disgrace the name of Black like this! Pregnant, and engaged to a muggleborn!"

The younger Andromeada looked up, her jaw set defiantly, into the face of her father, "Father, I love Ted! And he loves me, and I don't give a piss to all of your blood-purity nonsense. Ted is just as much a wizard as you, and he's twice the man you are!" she screamed, protecting her belly in case of a curse.

Orion stared down in disgust at his eldest, sneering at her words. "Well, I suppose you don't need the family then, if he's that much of a man." he paused, considering his words, "Either you get rid of that half-blood child, and mudblood man, or you can consider yourself out of the house of Blacks" he said finally.

Andromeada nodded, "I'll be packing then, and I'll be gone tomorrow" she said. Then walked upstairs.

_I had to drop outta high school--_

_Everybody treated me so cruel_

_But I didn't give in and give her away_

"Please Professor!" Andromeada pleaded, close to being on her knees.

"I love Hogwarts, its my home" Professor Dippet, Hogwarts' Headmaster looked down his nose at her thoughtfully, finally shaking his head in regret.

"I'm sorry Miss. Black, we can't accept a student in your present state- too many parents would complain and it isn't a good example for the children. The most we can do is provide you with a home, in a quiet place, out of the way" Andromeada stood up, looking at him with a mixture of thankfulness, sadness and anger showing in her face.

"Thank you professor, I'll be leaving now.

_Her smile got me through the day--_

_And every night I'd pray_

_I could give her enough_

_At night I'd lie awake and cry--_

_Hopin' we'd get by_

_'Cause you can't live on love_

"Mommy look!"

Andromeada looked at her smiling little girl, about two years old now, who was changing her hair to any color imaginable.

"Its lovely Dora!" She cried out, scooping the little girl into her arms, looking at the smile that made everything worth it.

"What's lovely Mum?" Nymphadora asked curiously. Her mother smiled, thinking of all the stress going on, Ted couldn't find work, they were living off of almost nothing but the cheapest food, but little Dora would never complain.

"You're the loveliest darling"

_I worked night and day to keep us goin'_

_Through the sweat and tears_

_Without her knowin'_

_It was worth it just to watch her grow_

Andromeada scrubbed at the sheets in her hand, at her second job of the day. At this moment she was a laundress, soon a salesgirl, then a dog walker, and before a barkeep.

Both she and Ted barely saw each other anymore, both working many jobs throughout the day having an hour or two at night to themselves before dashing off to the next job.

"Tonks! Another load coming in! Then you're off!"

Andromeada sighed, watching dejectedly as more clothes came down a nearby shoot. She thought of three-year-old Dora, and Ted, and bit back her complaints, reaching for the closest grass-stained shirt and scrubbing once more.

_At least I was able to hold her_

_Whenever she needed my shoulder_

_I'm so glad I never let her go_

Mum!" cried out a nine year old with long, bright pink hair coming flying through the air crying after quidditch camp, landing next to her mother and a picnic lunch that the two had brought.

"Darling!" Andromeada said affectionately, concerned, and pulling the girl close to her, "What's the matter?"

"There's a boy who made fun of my hair, then he said quidditch wasn't a game for girls" Dora sniffled angrily. "Plus his hair was ugly too, a bright white blond" she announced

Her mother just as angry looked around for a boy matching her daughter's description. She spied him soon enough, a young boy, maybe four years old. She watched him as he walked up to a woman with matching hair, a woman she hadn't seen in years. Narcissa Black Malfoy must have felt someone looking at her for she looked up, her crystal blue eyes automatically finding her sister, Andromeada's deep hazel ones. There was a mini stare down before Andromeada had to look away; she had an angry nine year old to comfort.

_No one, can tell me I'm wrong_

_I ain't goin' down_

"I got it! I got it!" Andromeada and Ted Tonks looked up, both putting their books down, as their daughter, who had just turned eleven, came racing into the room.

"My Hogwarts letter! Its come!" The young girl with deep aqua hair said, her voice breathless from her running so fast.

"Congratulations Darling!" Andromeada cried, standing and hugging her daughter, the pair soon joined by Ted, all of them smiling happily.

Andromeada thought about how far this little family had come; she and Ted both had stable jobs, their house was fit, made nicer even, they had excess money for pleasures and such, although not too much, and above all, they were happy and healthy. Andromeada smiled down at the head of her daughter, then looked into the eyes of her husband, seeing nothing but love in them.

'_Yes'_ she thought, _'This was most definitely the right choice'_

_No one, can tell me I'm wrong_

_I ain't goin' down_


End file.
